Bilbo's Transcription Archive

[Bilbo]

Someone asked for some Tony Levin so I looked up his discography and came up with this. I didn't know he did this. the whole transcription took 10 minutes. Levin's complete bass part from '50 Ways To Leave Your Lover' from the 1975 Paul Simon album, 'Still Crazy After All These Years'. 

 

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/50-ways-to-leave-your-lover-paul-simon/

 

 

[Bilbo]

  On 27/03/2025 at 19:11, dmccombe7 said:

My first was Little Ole Wine Drinker Me and then Mississippi.  

Still got all my music books from 70's tho including Genesis Seconds Out (fully autographed), Pink Floyd DSOTM and Animals, Alice Cooper, Eagles, Camel and Supertramp are the highlights.

Happy days

Dave

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 I had several books but they were almost all written for piano and the bass parts rarely bore any relationship to what we heard on the records. Those box guitar chords were also useless and were all first position chords so the voicings were useless.

[Bilbo]

A beautiful tune, this is the Nick Beggs bass part to the tune 'The Raven That Refused To Sing' from the 2013 Steven Wilson album 'The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories)'. It is not hard to play but there are some challenges with shifting bar lengths and a couple of fills. Otherwise, a stunning tune.

 

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/the-raven-that-refused-to-sing-steve-wilson/

[Bilbo]

Another lovely tune, this is the complete Geddy Lee bass part for 'Lakeside Park' from the 17975 Rush album, 'Caress Of Steel'. Not too difficult to play but some of the reading gets lairy due to the tempo.

 

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/lakeside-park-rush/ 

[Bilbo]

Just to tidy things up, Geddy's part to 'I Think I'm Going Bald' from the same 'Caress Of Steel album. A bit of fun lyrically but, reading-wise, a bloody roast!

 

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/i-think-im-going-bald-rush/

[Bilbo]

A 'complete album' version of 'Caress Of Steel' is up there now. 

[Bilbo]

I heard this much later than I should have, thinking Billy Joel was a boring balladeer but I have since come to appreciate how strong a songwriter he is. This was the song that woke me up to his talent. From the 1976 album, 'Turnstiles' this is the complete Doug Stegmeyer bass part to the tune(s) 'Prelude/Anger Young Man'. It's almost Prog.

 

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/prelude-angry-young-man-billy-joel/

[Bilbo]

Something less well known from Jeff Berlin. This is the first and final heads and two choruses of walking bass lines from a session Jeff Berlin did with Italian pianist Massimo Columbo with Billy Cobham on drums in 2005. The album is called 'Caravaggio'. The reason it is not complete is because JB's part is impossible to translate into dots, even with Moises and Transcribe! software. It is just too dense (not fast, just all over the place with octaves and pedal notes and sliding etc). The tune is called 'Blues For 3'.

 

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/blues-for-3-massimo-columbo-trio/

 

 

 

 

[Bilbo]

Complete bass part for 'Red Sector A' from the 1984 Rush album, 'Grace under Pressure'.

 

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/red-sector-a-rush/

Edited April 1 by Bilbo

[dmccombe7]

  On 01/04/2025 at 08:22, Bilbo said:

Complete bass part for 'Red Sector A' from the 1984 Rush album, 'Grace under Pressure'.

 

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/red-sector-a-rush/

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Struggling with this one Rob. Had no idea how complex the bass part was. Typical Geddy tho. Its all those ghost notes that got me.

Dave

[Bilbo]

Proper one this time; 'The Enemy Within' from the 1984 Rush album, 'Grace under Pressure'.

 

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/the-enemy-within-rush/

[dmccombe7]

  On 01/04/2025 at 20:29, Bilbo said:

Proper one this time; 'The Enemy Within' from the 1984 Rush album, 'Grace under Pressure'.

 

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/the-enemy-within-rush/

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Rob the link on the website to download isn't working. ?

Grace Under Pressure is another great Rush album. 

Quite like the overall production / sound altho a bit more Geddy bass would have added even more to it.

Dave

Edited April 2 by dmccombe7

[Bilbo]

I will have a look at the link later on, Dave. It's a simple enough thing to address but I am not at home so cannot access the admin side of the website until this evening.

[Bilbo]

Link should be working now!

[Bilbo]

Another Solstice track, this is the Robin Phillips bass part for the tune 'Mount Ephraim' from the band's most recent album, 'Light Up'. Mostly 5:4 with some 6:4 and some 3:4. Bloody Proggers!

 

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/mount-ephraim-solstice/

[Bilbo]

Another one from the same album, this is 'Wongle No.9' - Classic British Neo-Prog. Interweaving lines, odd bar lengths and a completely inscrutable title.

 

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/wongle-no-9-solstice/

[Bilbo]

A really easy read but a love song - another from the Solstice album, 'Light Up', this one is called 'Home'. Five notes (maybe six) and all roots mostly on the one. 

 

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/home-solstice/

[Bilbo]

Things are going to get a lot quieter for a while, guys. I have a book project that needs my attention for the time being and that has to take priority. I will still post stuff when I can, though. 

[dmccombe7]

  On 04/04/2025 at 15:22, Bilbo said:

Things are going to get a lot quieter for a while, guys. I have a book project that needs my attention for the time being and that has to take priority. I will still post stuff when I can, though. 

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Great stuff Rob. I have a lot to catch up on from your website.

Dave

[Bilbo]

Something a bit different today, this is the Ron Carter performance of the tune 'Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)' from the first Wynton Marsalis album (1982). Tough read - he's all over the place even though it's mostly a ballad. Slides and slurs and double stops. Great to listen to, impossible to transcribe.

 

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/who-can-i-turn-to-when-nobody-needs-me-wynton-marsalis/

[Bilbo]

A really easy read but it's not easy to make it feel this good. A complete transcription of the Charlie Haden bass part to Pat Metheny's version of the Horace Silver tune 'Lonely Woman' from the guitarist's1983 album 'Rejoicing'. 

 

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/lonely-woman-pat-metheny/

[Bilbo]

Someone asked about Mick Karn transcriptions on Talkbass this morning and referenced this tune specifically. 'Talking Drum' from the 1981 Japan album 'Tin Drum'. I was never a massive Karn fan but I enjoyed doing this one.

 

https://bilbosbassbites.co.uk/talking-drum-japan/

[Bilbo]

What is really interesting when I look at the data on the website, the tunes with the biggest hit rates are not the ones you would think. Today it's the Ron Carter/Wynton Marsalis chart. It's actually the double bass players that get the hits. I am speculating that is probably because Jazzers are more likely to be readers?

[dmccombe7]

  On 19/04/2025 at 12:04, Bilbo said:

What is really interesting when I look at the data on the website, the tunes with the biggest hit rates are not the ones you would think. Today it's the Ron Carter/Wynton Marsalis chart. It's actually the double bass players that get the hits. I am speculating that is probably because Jazzers are more likely to be readers?

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Yep i could see that. In my social circle of musicians i'm a rarity that can read (not sight read level tho).

When learning a new song i like to source every bit of info i can and then i'll write it out for myself.

I've had some great fun with some of the ones you've posted Rob.

I've tried the usual TAB sites but they are generally incorrect whereas yours are usually spot on.

 

Dave

[itu]

@dmccombe7: thank you, very much the same thoughts. Now I am in a happy situation that the band I play most uses scores a lot (practically everyone reads). I even find tabs a bit complicated to use.